Planning First Trip-need advice

[Golfing Goofy]

Hi all. I've finally decided that this is the year to go to WDW. We are DL regulars and to be honest, WDW just scares me. Too many choices.

It will be me, DH, DS(11) and DS(9). I have a few questions, so maybe some of you experts could give me a bit of advice, please...

1. For the first time trip, is it better to stay at a hotel that is on the monorail line? Does the monorail go to all of the parks?

2. Is there a hotel that is the most "Disney"?

3. Can you even see the MK from the BWI?

4. Is it a pain to go back to the hotel or to park hop? Do you generally just stay at one park each day?

I feel like I need to decide on the hotel first and then I can do the rest of the planning. Thank you so much for your help.

 

[Bugsmom73]

1. For the first time trip, is it better to stay at a hotel that is on the monorail line? Does the monorail go to all of the parks? We have done it many ways. Your kids are older so there is not so much of a need to use the monorail for quick escapes. I have stayed at a moderate resort with one kid but not two. The monorail goes throught the Contemporary, the Polynesian and the Grand Floridian. A separate monorail runs to Epcot. You disembark at the Ticket and Transportation Center. From the Wilderness Lodge, Poly and Grand Floridian, you can also go by boat to MK.

2. Is there a hotel that is the most "Disney"? I have heard that the values are the best Disney Themed. The Contemporary was one of the few hotels built on property.

3. Can you even see the MK from the BWI? No

4. Is it a pain to go back to the hotel or to park hop? Do you generally just stay at one park each day? No we have done it. It is easier in the summer because the buses run more frequently, IMHO. Park Hopping is not a problem. We generally hop.


I would set a budget and figure when you are going to go. Animal Kingdom Lodge and Wilderness Lodge do have rooms with bunkbeds, so your boys would not have to share if they don't want to.

 

[mlggator]

I grew up with WDW (living 2 hours north of it), but have lived in San Diego for the last 8 years and so I have spent a lot of time at DL. I now live in AL, so I am back to WDW and stayed there recently in July at WL. WDW is very different from DL in so many ways, some good, some bad and some just different. I almost don't like to compare the parks, because they really are so different.

As far as park hopping, it is not like DL where you just cross the courtyard from one park to the other. You will either have to take a bus or monorail between them. But each ride is about 15 to 30 minute ride away, depending on where you are, where you want to go, and how crowded it is.

I don't know where you typically stayed at DL when you went, but that would help me suggest a hotel for you. If you think you will spend most of your time at Magic Kingdom (same as Disneyland), then one of the monorail resorts would be best. Wilderness Lodge is also fairly easy to get to Magic Kingdom. The Poly offers quick transport by monorail to either MK or Epcot.

Each resort has a different theme and I think they are all full of Disney magic. I would just see if a certain theme appealed to you more.

You can PM me if you have any questions about the differences in WDW and DLR and I will be happy to help you as best I can.

Michele

 

[Chellymouse]

It's not really worth it to stay on the monorail line unless you are planning on living at MK and Epcot! Buses are still needed to get to DTD, Hollywood studios, AK and the water parks. Having spent my childhood at DL and now spending adulthood at WDW, there are quite a few differences. Some of the rides, though in both places, have differences and it's not feasible to walk from park to park. (I don't care what anyone says, it's 2 miles from Epcot to Hollywood studios...take the boat!!) You definitely need to spend more time and energy planning ahead of time so that you don't miss any of your "must sees" We've grown to enjoy WDW more as there is much more to do than DL.

 

[Pakey]

Another bigtime DL vet here (although we prefer WDW and go 2 times a year).

The monorail resorts (Poly, Contemporary, and GF) have monorail to MK. There is another monorail that links to Epcot but you do have to change monorails at the TTC to get to Epcot. It's convenient but not all that convenient. I'm not a fan of getting off one, walking down the ramps, going up some other ramps and then waiting for another monorail. To get to the other 2 parks or the waterparks, you will have to ride a bus.

The Contemporary is the closest to MK and you can walk from the hotel rather than taking a monorail.

Wilderness Lodge is a boat ride from MK and a bus ride to everything else.

The Epcot resorts of Yacht Club, Beach Club and BWI are within walking distance to both Epcot and Hollywood Studios. For Animal Kingdom, you have to take a bus, but then so does every other resort. For MK, you can take a bus or walk all the way through Epcot to get to the monorail (a long walk).

I do not think the monorail is that convenient unless you are spending all of your time at MK. If you are going and planning to spend one day at each park, then it's not going to matter all that much.

It is not hard to park hop. Each park has park to park buses. We have many times hit all 4 parks in one day.

Each hotel has a theme but I don't know that I would call one more "Disney" than another. Depends on what theme you like. I happen to like AKL much more than another other but it's so far away from everything. The deluxe hotels are more conveniently located (except for AKL) and have more dining options at them. The value motels have more juvenile theming and large food courts that appeal to younger children. They are also going to have a bit longer bus ride to get to the parks as they are further away.

If you want to go back to your hotel midday, then I would consider either a MK hotel or an Epcot hotel because the travel time to/from your resort is shorter. Depending on what time of year you are going, you might want to consder the Beach/Yacht Club hotels because they share the best pool on property and your kids would love that pool. It's one of only 2 sandy bottomed pools in the U.S. and it covers 6 acres and has a waterslide that is a wrecked ship--very cool.

 

[KMLOVESWDW]

Yes, the monorail line is great, but if you want a real "disney" hotel, I would probably say All Star Movies. The icons are huge, colors bright...Kids that are your children's age love it. I have taken nieces & nephews & we have stayed at all the all-stars, but movies was the most "disney". The only hotels that you can see the MK from are the Contemporary, & you can see the castle from the Poly & GF. It's just DH & I & we love to park hop. Maybe not everyday but it is nice. One day you could go to MGM in the morning & spend most of the day. Maybe go back to your hotel have a bite to eat, go for a swim & then head to MK for the fireworks at night. The choices are endless. I would go to Disney's site with your kids & pick out the stuff or rides that you really want to do the most. Just know this, you will NEVER see & do it all in one trip. Impossible!! I'de be happy to help you with any other questions if you want to pm me. But as far as hotel, your boys will love the All-Stars. Decent food court, big pools, arcade. ( just noticed you had 2 boys-All-Star Sports was really great for my 11yr old nephew) Good luck with your planning & have a great time

 

[Golfing Goofy]

You guys are so GREAT! Thank you so much for the advice.




Bugsmom73 : Thanks so much for your answers. I looked on the map on the WDW website and it was hard to figure out exactly where that monorail goes. Thank you!

mlggator: I think that you are right about me not comparing the two resorts. I think I should just plan on WDW being its own type of experience, more like a marathon vacation, as opposed to DL, which we just love to fly down for two days and we get our Disney Magic quota for the month. We usually stay at the DLH or the Grand and try to get the AP rates. So, we are normally there at off season. We plan on hitting WDW around the first week of December, so it might be more crowded. BTW, were you in SD during the fires? Our family lives in Santiago Canyon in OC and that was really scary.

Chellymouse: Thanks for clearing up the walking issue. My kids were looking at the map and they were convinced that it was too far to walk....So, they are happy to know that they were right.

Pakey: My kids love the pool idea, especially since we have an abbreviated summer up here. We will be going the first week of December, so I think it should still be warm enough for us?

KMLOVESWDW: Boy, it is so nice to hear that it is ok not to plan on doing everything.....espeically from a WDW pro. Because, I have to tell you, after looking on-line and watching the videos, I was feeling panic. We would have to be on a serious 18-hour schedule, and I still don't think we could do it all.


I think that we will probably spend more time in the other parks like Epcot, since we have never been to anything like them. I just can't believe all the choices that are available. It is amazing!

Thanks again for all your help!!!!!

 

[SassyLassy]

First off, congrats on going to your first trip to WDW!!! You will have a blast and dont worry about being freaked out, its a really large place and if you are a planner you can really get wrapped up and overwhelmed. This place will be a huge help for you!!

1. For the first time trip, is it better to stay at a hotel that is on the monorail line? Does the monorail go to all of the parks? I think the monorail is great if you have babies or little ones in strollers AND you are going to be at MK and Epcot most of your time. To me that seems like the main benefit. Dont get me wrong I love the Poly the best of the 3 that are on the monorail but I rather save money and stay at a moderate. With the age of your DC you shouldn't have any problem getting on or off buses plus you pay less money than staying at a Deluxe.

2. Is there a hotel that is the most "Disney"? I really think that all of the resorts are well done with Disney themes. All in all, I love POR for a moderate and Poly for a Deluxe.

3. Can you even see the MK from the BWI? NO

4. Is it a pain to go back to the hotel or to park hop? Do you generally just stay at one park each day? Not at all. Dh and I usually go back 1 or 2 days during our trip to hit the pool for the couple of hours to re-coup. We mainly stick to one park but the main reason we get the Park Hoppers Pass is to have the flexiblity, especially with dinners at night. I dont want to be stuck to only the park that we went to and HAVE to eat dinner there.

I feel like I need to decide on the hotel first and then I can do the rest of the planning. Thank you so much for your help.

Ask away. The people here are great and have helped me learn so much and how to get the best vacation at the world that I possibly can!

 

[rwdavis2]

1. For the first time trip, is it better to stay at a hotel that is on the monorail line? Does the monorail go to all of the parks?
I'll answer this a different way. I would recommend renting a car. It's the quickest way to any of the parks from a hotel. When we stayed at Wilderness Lodge in 2004 we only took Disney transportation to MK. Otherwise we drove. If you get to a park before opening you may park close enough just to walk in instead of waiting for the tram.

2. Is there a hotel that is the most "Disney"?
We like the Wilderness Lodge.


4. Is it a pain to go back to the hotel or to park hop? Do you generally just stay at one park each day?
Depending on park crowds park hopping may not be worth it. I would schedule one park per day and get there before it opens. We tried park hopping over Martin Luther King weekend and by the time we got to the second park the waits were huge and fast passes all gone for the popular rides.

 

[Tinkaroo]

Hi all. I've finally decided that this is the year to go to WDW. We are DL regulars and to be honest, WDW just scares me. Too many choices.

It will be me, DH, DS(11) and DS(9). I have a few questions, so maybe some of you experts could give me a bit of advice, please...

1. For the first time trip, is it better to stay at a hotel that is on the monorail line? Does the monorail go to all of the parks?

2. Is there a hotel that is the most "Disney"?

3. Can you even see the MK from the BWI?

4. Is it a pain to go back to the hotel or to park hop? Do you generally just stay at one park each day?

I feel like I need to decide on the hotel first and then I can do the rest of the planning. Thank you so much for your help.

Based upon your comments, I would probably recommend that you consider an Epcot-area resort, specifically either BWI or the BC. You could walk or ride the Friendship Boats to Epcot and MGM, which would be two parks that you're not as familiar with. You would take a bus to either the MK or AK. If you need a monorail fix, you can always walk through Epcot's International Gateway entrance, to the front of the park, and you could take the monorail to the TTC (Ticket & Transportation Center). From there, you could take the monorail to the MK, or the resort line to any of the monorail resorts.

The BC and the BWI both have great theming, and great pools. The BC has the infamous Stormalong Bay, which is like a mini-water park (the sand bottom, lazy river, great fast slide, and sand play areas are really neat). There is also Beaches & Cream right there (wonderful burgers and ice cream!), great Christmas decorations, and the Boardwalk is just a short walk away.

The BWI has the Boardwalk entertainment right there (ESPN Club, surrey bikes, live entertainment, games, etc.), and they also have a great pool with a really long slide (Luna Park). The BWI is beautiful and very festive for the holidays - probably my favorite decorations of all the Epcot-area resorts.

Both of these would be distinctly different from what you're used to at the GCH and DLH, theming-wise. Unfortunately, there is not really a hotel quite as "Disney" at WDW like the DLH. but there is great theming everywhere - it just depends on what you look for. Some people classify the values as very "Disney" because of all the bright colors and huge icons, but I've found "Disney" in all of the on-property resorts (and I've stayed in almost all of them at this point!).

We do not find it a pain to go back to the hotel, or to park hop. We do typically rent a car, which helps with this, but have done it using the monorail/boat/bus system as well. Even if we do stay away from our hotel all day, rarely do we stay in the same park. Sometimes the best park in the a.m., is not the best park in the p.m.

You will love touring the World in December - one of the best times to go IMO. 2008 will mark our 4th Dec. in a row at WDW.

 

[Bugsmom73]

I would recommend an EPCOT area resort if you can afford it. They are fairly central. If you need to go moderate, CBR is my choice, but I know a ton of people prefer other options.

 

[Golfing Goofy]

I think that I have decided that one of the epcot area resorts will be the best for us. I think that will fit our plans.

One more (kinda silly) questions...please keep in mind that I am from the other end of the US, but

are there any alligators in that lake?????

Thanks for your help.

 

[skipperkim]

I think that I have decided that one of the epcot area resorts will be the best for us. I think that will fit our plans.

One more (kinda silly) questions...please keep in mind that I am from the other end of the US, but

are there any alligators in that lake?????

Thanks for your help.

There could be, but there is no swimming allowed in the lakes since they are dangerous to do so.

I sent you a PM, but I think BC would be great for you. Be sure to take the boys to Beaches and Cream and get them the Kitchen Sink. Don't let them see pictures of it. I'm sure someone can post of photo to you, if you ask of one.

I usually park hop. Since you'll be there in Dec I'd say you'll want to as well. Do you plan to go to MVMCP? Also, there's CP and Santas around the world at Epcot and the Osborne Lights at DHS.

 

[Golfing Goofy]

OK, sorry but what is MVMCP? I am so new to all of this....

So, not to dwell on the alligator theme, but do they roam around on the golf courses out there? We are a bunch of golf nuts (what a surprise ) and want to spend some of our time golfing at the courses there.

 

[SassyLassy]

Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party (or Parade)

I think BC would be a great choice for you as well!! and def bring the boys to get the Kitchen Sink!!

 

[Tinkaroo]

OK, sorry but what is MVMCP? I am so new to all of this....

So, not to dwell on the alligator theme, but do they roam around on the golf courses out there? We are a bunch of golf nuts (what a surprise ) and want to spend some of our time golfing at the courses there.

I can't speak to the WDW golf courses specifically, but alligators are generally a way of life in Florida when you're near bodies of water. My grandparents lived and golfed for years on Florida's Atlantic coast, and they would see them occasionally, but it wasn't a big deal. Generally, the trappers are called out to move them to another locale away from populated areas when they do appear.

I'm sure Disney is as vigilant as they can be to keep them away from guest areas! I wouldn't hesitate to golf (or stay near one of the resorts near bodies of water) while you're there.

 

[Golfing Goofy]

Thanks. That makes sense. I guess if the ball goes in the lake, I should get a special disney mulligan (do-over), you know, for safetly reasons...

Actually, I am looking forward to having my best rounds out there...the fairways should be sprinkled in pixie dust too!

 

[IWISHFORDISNEY]

Dont go after the balls very bad move. Leave them in the water with their friends. LOL.

BC/YC is the way to go with kids your childrens age. They will love the pool, the walk to Epcot and the short boat ride to MGM. We love the Epcot resort area!!

MVMCP - special purchase ticket is a great time and worth the money. You really do get the park to yourself from 7 until midnight. cookies and coacoa are free all over the park. The best fireworks show ever. But it does get cold at night so bring warm clothes with you.

 

[Golfing Goofy]

I am so excited! I even had to get a ticker to help the time go by....

IWISHFORDISNEY: Great advice! Anyway, I know my golf balls all want to be scuba divers in another life.... I will definetly do the MVMCP.

When do those tickets go on sale? Is it through the Disney Dining department?

Thanks everyone for your help. I am making the reservations this week.

 

[dbarker]

OK, no one has done this for you yet.

Go over to www.allearsnet.com. It is a wonderful site w/ lots of info and pics.

Also, check out www.mousesavers.com and sign up for their newsletter.